Every year all of us at Level Up try to come up with a list of games that were our favorites of the year, and here is our list for 2020! What were your favorites?
Animal Crossing New Horizons (Switch): I don’t think anyone can argue that this game was exactly the right game at exactly the right time! In a year that was crushingly difficult, Animal Crossing New Horizons gave and continues to give everyone a sense of calm and comfort. It allowed for friends and family to still interact with one another while we were and are unable to do so in-person. We made friends, traded items, caught bugs, went fishing, and built a community. What more could you ask for from a video game in a year like 2020?
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4): Originally teased way back in 2005 with the launch of the PS3 as a “tech demo”, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was FINALLY released this year and all we can say is wow. Square had a seemingly impossible task with this: remaking one of the most iconic games of all time in a way that honors the original game while creating something new, and at the same time keeping the existing fans happy and welcoming new ones....and they succeeded beyond our wildest dreams! We can’t wait to see what comes next in Part 2...hopefully we don’t have to wait another 15 years.
Hades (PS4, XB1, Switch, PC): Procedural rogue-like games are a dime a dozen now-a-days, so you have to make something incredibly special to be viewed as new and unique. Supergiant Games ,the studio that made Bastion & Transistor, did exactly that! Hades is a masterpiece and deserves all the praise (and more) that it has been getting. While it may only be available digitally, we’re sure that it will inevitably get a physical release. Whether you are a digital or physical gamer, you need to play this game, and you need to play it as soon as possible!
Astro’s Playroom (PS5): When you are eventually able to get a PS5 you’ll understand why we picked this game. Graphics on the PS5 are certainly amazing, but the real “Next-Gen” feature of the system is the haptic feedback feature on the new DualSense Controller, and Astro’s Playroom was designed to showcase it to its fullest. You can actually feel the weight of things shifting and tension on objects as you pull and push them, all combined with unique and immersive sound effects. Not only that, PlayStation fans from across the various system generations will get a kick out of the dozens and dozens of Easter eggs and call outs to games past.